Fodor's may use your e-mail address to send you relevant information on site updates, account changes, and offers. For more information about your privacy and protection, please review our full Privacy Policy.

Sure, take a day trip to Shirakawago. I believe the bus between Takayama and S-go runs year round. You will need footwear for snow and slush (which likely applies to Takayama also).

There is an onsen bath at the Green Hotel and it is open to the public. Gero Onsen is not far south by train from Takayama.

Have a bowl of hot Hida ramen soup. IIRC, the spot I would take you to for this is on Kokubunji Street, on the left just across the river when heading from the station. In the same block as the restaurant with the bull statue but on the other side and closer to the station. Beef in the window and for sale on one side of the shop, a few wooden tables on the other side. Very informal. Good stuff.

Then there are the usual attractions in Takayama. Hida no Sato if you don't go to Shirakawago. Takayama Jinja. There is a ski resort in the mountains to the east.

You may also enjoy visiting some of the shrine floats in their special sheds. And the shrines themselves. And there's a pretty temple walk you can take. And of course, walking through the pretty preservation areas, to appreciate the traditional wooden machiya and many have little shops, cafes etc within.